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THIS ITEM IS INCLUDED IN OUR BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE OFFER ! Choose any two prints in this special offer and the lower priced item is half price. (Any free bonus prints already supplied with an item are separate and will also be included !) Hundreds of items across our websites are included in this offer! |
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Signatures on this item | |
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare. | |
Name | Info |
Burkard von Mullenheim-Rechberg (deceased) *Signature Value : £65 | Burkard von Mullenheim-Rechberg is a former German naval officer, lawyer, and ambassador. Born in Spandau into a family where the profession of arms was an established tradition, he entered the navy of the Weimar Republic in 1929. After service in a variety of ships and as assistant naval attache at the German Embassy in London, he was assigned to the Bismarck in May 1940. A year later he became the senior officer to survive her sinking. In 1952, after spending time as a prisoner of war and earning a law degree, the baron joined the diplomatic service of the Federal Republic of Germany. He served as consul general in Toronto and as ambassador to the West Indies, Zaire and Tanzania. Born in Prussia into a family with an established military tradition, Burkard Baron Mullenheim-Rechberg entered the Navy of the Weimar Republic in 1929. Burkard, like many Prussian officers, was critical of Hitler and his National Socialist Party. However, the regime did not accept criticism, and Burkard was forced to react with impotence or face the difficult fate awaiting dissenters. During his naval career Burkard served as an instructor at the Murwick Naval School, and as an assistant to the naval attachC, at the German Embassy in London. He had plenty of sea duty including time on both cruisers and destroyers. In May of 1940 Lieutenant-Captain Burkard was assigned to the Bismarck. He served as adjutant to Captain Ernst Lindemann, the Bismarck's commanding officer. Lindemann was an experienced gunnery expert, and given the Bismarck's enormous firepower, this background was deemed an asset. Captain Lindemann informed Burkard that the Bismarck would henceforth be referred to as a 'he' instead of the traditional 'she.' In addition to being an ideal duty assignment, serving as the adjutant to Captain Lindemann, provided Burkard insights, into Lindemann's character. The Bismarck was commissioned on August 24, 1940, but was unable to go to sea for several months because a sunken ship blocked the channel. At the time of the Bismarck's demise on May 27,1941, Burkard was Fourth Gunnery Officer, and he was the highest ranking officer to survive the great ship's sinking. He became a prisoner of war, and spent much of the remainder of the war in Canadian prisoner camps. Burkhard earned a law degree after the war and joined the German diplomatic service in 1952. His first assignment was in Iceland followed by posting to Oslo Norway where he was head of the consular section on the German Embassy. He served in a variety of posts. He was Consul General in Toronto, and Ambassador to the West Indies, Tanzania, and Zaire. Burkhard retired from the diplomatic service in 1975. Since that time he has lived with his wife in upper Bavaria. He has authored two books on the Bismarck, and has served as a consultant to movie producers and other WW II authors. In addition to being one of the world's foremost authorities on the Bismarck, and its demise, Burkard has written extensively regarding his reflections on the political nature of the Nazi regime and its criminal misdeeds. Many officers which served their country during the war were unaware of the crimes and atrocities of the Nazis, where others with some knowledge were torn between their loyalty to their country and their opposition to Hitler's misdeeds. He died 1st June 2003. |
The Aircraft : | |
Name | Info |
Swordfish | Torpedo bomber and reconnaissance biplane, crewed by three, with a top speed of 154mph, reduced to 136mph as a float plane. Maximum ceiling 19,000 feet, reduced as a float plane. Armed with a .303 Vickers machine gun fixed forward and one in the rear cockpit. One 1610lb torpedo or up to 1500lb bomb load. At the outbreak of world war two the fleet air arm had 13 operational squadrons. The Fairey Swordfish has earned its place in history for major contributions to naval warfare, during the Norwegian campaign, and especially during the raid on Taranto. In November1940, twenty Swordfish took off from HMS Illustrious to attack the Italian fleet in their Harbour of Taranto. At Least nine torpedoes hit their targets. Seven Italian ships were badly damaged including the battleships, Caio Duillio, Littorio and Conte De Cavour. This was followed in February 1942, by a heroic but suicidal attack on German battlecruisers in the English Channel by six Swordfish of 825 squadron from RAF Manston. All aircraft and crews were lost. This resulted in a Victoria Cross for the leader Lieutenant Commander E Esmonde. The next major event was the torpedo attack on the Bismarck by Swordfish from HMS Ark Royal, which badly damaged the steering gear of the Bismarck which helped in the final destruction of the German battleship by Royal Navy battleships. The Fairey Swordfish was also used in anti-submarine and anti-shipping roles. The Swordfish sunk more enemy ships (by tonnage) than any other aircraft acting in the same role. By the end of the war the Fleet Air Arm still had nine active squadrons, but these were finally disbanded in May 1945. A total of 2399 Swordfish were built. |
Artist Details : Stan Stokes |
Click here for a full list of all artwork by Stan Stokes |
Stan Stokes Stan Stokes is a California native with more than 37 years as a full time professional artist, who developed a passion for vintage cars, trains and airplanes at an early age. Model building and RC planes filled the many hours of the young enthusiasts free time. However, unlike most other young aviation enthusiasts Stokes also displayed a great gift for artistic talent. After studying art in College, Stan decided to pursue a career as a professional artist. Stokes initially focused his great talents on depicting uniquely realistic landscapes of the western desert and mountain scenes. More than thirty years ago a good friend suggested that Stan combine his passion for aviation history and flying with his artistic talents, and render an aircraft or two. The rest is history. Stan has won many prestigious awards including the Benedictine Art Award in 1975 and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museums Golden Age of Flight award in 1985. In May of 2000, Stan was honored with the National Museum of Naval Aviations R. G. Smith Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation Art. Commissioned by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Stans 12 x 120 foot mural of the History of the Flying White House is on permanent display in the Air Force One Pavilion. In addition Stans painting of the USS Ronald Reagan is hanging in the Legacy Room of the library. In 2005 Stan also completed a painting of our nations next aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, which is on permanent display at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Stan has also completed several impressive murals for the Palm Springs Air Museum including: The Tuskegee Airmen at 12 x 60 feet and contains 51 portraits of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Dauntless at Midway at 12 x 34 feet and Corsair on Approach at 19 x 55 feet. Stans work also hangs in the Air Force art collection, the Pentagon, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Stan has had the pleasure of meeting and working with many of his boyhood aviation heroes, including the late General Jimmy Doolittle, the late Pappy Boyington, Chuck Yeager, and many many others. A true aviation history buff, Stan often spends more time pouring over research materials for his paintings to assure their accuracy to the smallest detail than he does behind the canvas. Noted for his incredible detail and strikingly realistic illustration, Stans canvases have a life-like three-dimensional effect that often leaves viewers spellbound. Today his work encompasses not only aviation and space but also portraits, landscapes, ships, classic cars and his new collection of cat-related fine art paintings. Stan particularly enjoys the tough assignment. During his 37 years as a professional artist, he has been asked to produce literally hundreds of paintings documenting historical events, people and places. Although Stan has logged many hours flying his own airplanes, in recent years pleasure flying has had to take a backseat to the artistic demands of his backlog. Stan was commissioned to paint more than twenty original paintings for an aviation museum being in the Philippines. Since the mid-1980s NASA has also tapped Stans talents from time to time and he has completed more than fifteen paintings ranging from the space shuttles to the SR 71 Blackbird. Stan has also painted numerous works for the cutting edge genius in aviation and space design, Burt Rutan. More about Stan Stokes |
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